Monday, February 22, 2016

RAMALLAH, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to meet with U.S. State Secretary John Kerry in Amman on Feb. 21, a senior Palestinian official said Tuesday.

Kerry had called Abbas to discuss the latest developments on Jan. 31, over two months after their last meeting in November.

Palestine's Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee member Ahmed Mjadalani told Xinhua that arrangements are currently under preparation for the upcoming meeting between Abbas and Kerry during his visit to the region next week.

Majdalani said the meeting's focus will be on the latest developments in the Palestinian territories and France's proposal to hold an international conference targeting an end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The Palestinian president welcomed the French proposal to hold an international peace conference to revive the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.

French Foreign Minister Lauren Fabius said that in the event the French proposal fails, his country will subsequently officially recognize the Palestinian state.

Israel said Fabius' statement hinders Palestinian resumption of the peace process, while the American administration said it had reservations over the French proposal.

Simultaneously, Majdalni said Palestinians are not too optimistic regarding this meeting, given the "U.S. preoccupation with the upcoming presidential elections and its unwillingness to pressure Israel to drive the peace process forward."

A senior U.S. official reportedly said that the only way to reach a peace deal between Palestinians and Israelis is through direct negotiations.

The last round of negotiations of U.S.-mediated negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis lasted nine months, ending in vain in 2014.